Had Felix T. and his son James out on Sunday. Felix and James were out to learn a few things. And this was just the beginning. They needed to learn the tackle, the rigs, casting, hook setting, and the fight. So we went over tides, seasons, and did a lot of discussing. Started at the jetties on the slow and low incoming tide.
The tide was so weak that the green water never came when we were on my favorite spot. I could see it, but it was far from pouring over the rocks where we were. During the summer months the "moon tides" make a big switch. The Full moon isn't a strong tide, at all. But rather the New moon will be the strong one towards the end of the month. So with barely 4 feet of difference between low and high, we worked on what we could, with what I had.
The bite was slow, since there wasn't any current. But James caught his first Redbass. It was small at 17", but he at least caught one and was proud of it.
After a bit of serious
"show and tell" on the float rigs
and a few fish caught.
I went to pull up stakes and
as I did, I saw a real nice
Tripletail drift right by the
boat. I had the anchor line in my hand, and there was nothing I could do. So we cruised the rip of black nasty river water and the gin clear and clean ocean green water. In hopes of spotting another
Tripletail I could hook the guys up with.
But we didn't see any more. Heading to the beach to see if there was any pogies real close, and along the navy base we saw none. So back to the jetties so I could jig up a few "greenies" for big bait for some bottom fishing class.
After catching a few greenies - aka: Threadfin Herring, we anchored up. You just know the action at the jetties is slow when on a falling tide you are one of three other boats on the inside fishing, on a Sunday!!
Well, it' been like this for awhile now. The fresh water just has flushed away the fish that were there before the big Memorial day week storm. Damn, was I into them before the storm. The fishing for big Reds was fun and really on, during the falling tide with a live pogie.
We hooked up one big fish that broke us off in the jetty rocks as the anchor was slipping on me, caught a big Sail Cat, and of course had a big Sting Ray. The big Cat, was a "here's yer sign" kinda fish, that the water is really stirred up......as if looking at it isn't telling you enough.
So we went back into the river and picked up the float rig rods and had fun catching the less glamorous species, Jack, Ladyfish and of course.....Mangrove Snappers. But the guys were catching, and learning. Mission accomplished, for Felix and James.
I timed it just perfectly! We headed in just in time. I no sooner got on the road leaving the boat ramp, and all hell broke loose as I backed the boat into it's house. Perfect timing, just missed another storm!
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6/8 - Had good long time customers Don B. and his parents and this time his wife also.
We headed up river from the boat ramp. Worked a lot of spots on the incoming tide, with no current to speak of really. But what can you do. Don caught a Trout on spot #1, as the tide rose, but the top of the water headed eastward...real weird stuff.
After we moved on to an area I wanted to try and haven't in a long time. First drift of Don's float-rig and he hangs something really good, but lost it probably due to his left handed fishing technique even though he's right handed. He did the same thing with the first Trout of the morning too, but this fish was larger. I got a laugh out of his technique, that I certainly didn't teach him.....he came up with this one all on his own.
We caught a few small Trout and as we moved around Don's mom caught 3 - 12+" Mangrove snappers worth keeping, while everyone else just lost the tail off their live shrimp. She had the knack!!
Find a spot that no one fishes, that has rocks and you can actually find some good sized Mangroves in the river. This was one of those spots. So out of the way and kinda goofy, that who else would even try it......I did though. And the larger Mangroves are there.
As the tide turned Don figured out no one grabbed the bag with the cheeze and sandwiches in it. It was still in the car, on ice thankfully. So I went back to the boat ramp. I told Don's dad Bill, "I hate a to see a good sandwich go to waste." It was also a good time to take a restroom break for all, too.
Being close to the jetties we hit along the Navy base and they did well. Don's mom hooked a Jack that ran her around the boat, with me in chase with the net, and the rest of the crew all eye balls as she battled it.
But the real reason I went there was for the Flounder. And Don hooked one! But thought it was just a bait stealer....."no Don, that's dinner!"
A few more Jacks, a few Ladyfish later, then Bill was running his float right down the edge of the rocks on the base and had his float go down. And he hung into a super stud. Could have been a really big Jack, or maybe a Redbass. But we'll never know, because after it dumped half the spool on his reel, it broke the leader...."ya play with fire, you could get burnt".
That's fishing ROCKS for ya.....
A few more Mangroves with a large one that Don caught and his wife hangs into something, she has it coming to the boat but slowly. Then she's hung on a rock. Can ya believe even little Grouper will "ROCK YOU UP", if you don't keep them moving??
They will...
It's that time of year again!! Not only will you have the Lil' Mangrove snappers snapping up you live shrimp, but so will everyone else, including juvenile Grouper!
Okay, back towards the ICW. The falling tide was a screamer at the jetties.....only wish the incoming had half that force.
We hit a spring and winter spot I refer to as the funnel. And Don caught another trout.
But we were far from the area being right. Usually the tide has to be down lower. Then Don's mom catches a Flounder...a small potato chip, but worth keeping.
I sat there keenly aware of what could happen if those big black clouds came our way that we all could clearly see in the distance. A few small Trout, later and the tide got perfect.
That's when Bill who stayed with the game plan of the spot. "Drop float and lively shrimp out behind the boat, go out to the creek intersection and reel back a bit and repeat."
BAM......his float goes down with authority! And he comes tight quickly. The rod thumps, and I know exactly what this is. A Big Trout, the one we've been hunting all day long.
A nice fat 22 incher, for the fish box.
And believe it or not the spot was starting to really be getting hot, but those clouds kept getting closer too. So I side with caution, so we packed it up and high-tailed it to the boat ramp. I was the only one with a rain jacket, and possibly the only one who knows that some of these storms just ain't no fun.
I cleaned all the fish and the clouds, rain and I bet plenty of wind too passed just to the south of us. And we only got sprinkled on as I filleted the fish. But when I got home, it was plenty wet. Glad we avoided this one and it avoided us.
It's always fun with Don and his folks. I hope to see them again in October.
